Method of treating textile material to prevent edge curling



Jun 5, 6- J. F. GIFFORD METHOD OF TREATING TEXTILE MATERIAL TO PREVENT EDGE CURLING Filed Sept. 9, 1944 n 11 alildllll l L A J all such materials as exhibit a Patented June 25, 1946 .UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicr.

METHOD OF TREATING TEXTILE MATERIAL TO PREVENT EDGE CURLING Joseph F. Gifford, Maplewood, N. J., assignor to United Merchants & Manufacturers, lnc., Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application September 9, 1944, Serial No. 553,445

, for convenience will be referred to as rolled-edge fabric, which designation is intended to include tendency to roll or curl up at their edges. Tricot knitted fabric, for example, is such a material. It and other like fabrics have such a marked tendency to roll up at the edges as to render diflicult, and in some instances impossible, certain types of printing, and require resort to various cost-enhancing expedients, all as is well understood in the art.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple and effective method of treatins fabric of the character referred to so as to remove the roll from the fabric edge and thereby permit the subsequent handling of the fabric by any or all of the finishing or printing processes applicable to fiat fabrics, i. e. to fabrics which do not exhibit theedge-curling tendency.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description and accompanying drawing in which a preferred application' of the invention is shown,

v In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view of a form of apparatus suitable for the carrying out of the invention and Fig. 2 is a broken-out plan view of a portion of the apparatus.

In general, the use of air Jet means arranged to direct air outwardly of the width of the fabric in the direction of the edge-roll and at such a pressure as to uncurl and flatten the curled-up edges. Then, while maintaining the fabric edge uncurled, the fabric is subjected to a suitable setting treatment, preferably steam setting followed by the applica- "tion to the edges of the fabric of a setting composition of a character to insure the necessary degree of permanence to the flatness so secured.

According to the preferred method of treatment exemplified in the drawing, the fabric l is first led to a tenter 2 wherein, as usual, the fablie is tensioned and extended to its full finished width.

While so extended on the tenter the fabric is wetted, as by water spray nozzles, such as indicated at 3, and from the tenter the wet fabric is led under guide roller 4 to a so-called palmer. As will be understood, the palmer, generally designated 5, includes lower and upper heated drums, 6 and 1, and an endless blanket 8 (indicated by dot and dash line). Entering, say, over the roller 9, the blanket passes downwardly around the lower drum 6, leaves 'thedrum over roller l0,

poms upwardly and around the upper drum 1 the method of treatment involves Claims. (Cl. 117-7) and thence downwardly over guide rollers H, II and I3 and back to roller 9. The direction of travel of the blanket and drums is indicated by the arrows in Fig.1. The fabric to be treated passes downwardly over roller 9 between the blanket and drum 6, follows the blanket throughout the course indicated and leaves the blanket, say, over the guide roll I4, at which point the treatment is complete.

When relieved of the tension maintained during its passage on the tenter, the fabric, of course, tends to curl at the edges again and is so curled in the stretch between rollers 4 and 9 and as the fabric passes over roller ii. This curl or edgeroll is indicated at 18 in Fig. 2. Close to the point of entry of the fabric between the blanket and the lower drum are mounted a number of air -jet nozzles l5 arranged to direct blasts of air 'as the fabric is taken up between the blanket and roller.

During its passage around the lower drum of the palmer the fabric is, of course, maintained in its flattened condition, and during this time the uncurled edges are .at least partially set, in this instance by the steaming which results from the wet fabric passing over the lower palmer drum, which, as usual, is suitably heated. It has been found that the wetting of the fabric while it is on the tenter, or at least prior to its passage past the air jet nozzles, is of advantage also in that it renders the fabric somewhat more tractable or more readily uncurled by the air blasts.

Emerging from between the drum 6 and roller ID, the fabric then rides on the outside of the blanket. As it passes upwardly from roller ID, the fabric may be supported quite firmly as by a fixed plate I6 interposed between the blanket and the fabric; and at some point in its passage over plate IS the fabric setting treatment.

is subjected to a further Diagrammatically indicated at I! is an applicator, which may be of any suit-- this is effected during the further passage of the fabric on the blanket upwardly over the upper and in the present instance heated drum 1, so that by the time the fabric leaves the blanket over the roller It the uncurled edges of the fabricate quite set. Thereafter, the fabric can be reeled or folded as required and printed or otherwise handled Just as readil as any normally flat fabric, being quite free of its initial edge-curl or roll.

In the light of the foregoing description of the preferred method of treatment of fabrics of the character described the following is claimed:

1. The method of treating rolled-edge knitted fabric which comprises applying tension to an advancing fabric to extend the same to its full width, wetting the fabric while so extended, re-

leasing the tension, directing air streams outwardly of the width of the fabric at each edge in the direction of the edge-roll thereof and at such pressure as to uncurl and flatten such edgeroll, maintaining the fabric, including the edge portions thereof, in flattened condition by gripping the same throughout its width while still under the influence of the air streams, coincidently advancing the fabric outof the influence of the air streams while maintained in its flattened condition and applying heat and pressure thereto, applying a setting composition to the edge portions of the fabric, and drying the setting com- Position.

2. The method of treating rolled-edge fabric which comprises applying tension to an advancing fabric to extend the same to its full width, wetting the fabric while so extended, releasing the tension, directing air streams outwardly of the width of the fabric at each edge in the direction of the edge-roll thereof and at such pressure as to uncurl and flatten such edge-roll, maintaining the fabric, including the edge portions thereof, in flattened condition by gripping the same throughout its width while still under the influence of the air streams, coincidently advancing the fabric out of the influence of the air streams while maintained in its flattened condition and applying heat and pressure thereto, applying a setting composition to the edge portions of the fabric, and drying the setting composition.

3. The method of treating. rolled-edge fabric which comprises applying tension to an advancing fabric to extend the same to its full width, wetting the fabric while so extended, releasing the tension, directing air streams outwardly of the width of the fabric at each edfle in the direction of the edge-roll thereof and at such ressure as to uncurl and flatten such edge-roll, maintaining the fabric, including the edge portions thereof, in flattened condition by gripping the same throughout its width while still under the influence of the air streams, coincidently adtion and applying heat vancing the fabric out of the influence of the air setting composition to the edge portions of the fabric, and drying the setting composition.

5. The method of treating rolled-edge fabric which comprises applying tension to an advancing fabric to extend the same to its full width, wetting the fabric while so extended, releasing the tension, directing air streams outwardly of the width of the fabric at each edge in the direction of the edge-roll thereof and at such pressure as to' uncurl and flatten such edge-roll, maintaining the fabric, including the edge portions thereof, in flattened its width while still under the influence of the air streams, coincidently advancing the fabric out of the influence of the air streams while maintained in its flattened condition, and thereafter setting the fabric in such condition.

' JOSEPH F. GIFFORD.

condition throughout 

